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Wait, what? There’s pornography on the Internet? When did this happen? It must be, like, a new thing, otherwise I cannot understand the curiosity over a newly updated iPhone app called “Hottest Girls” [iTunes link]. It’s $1.99, and includes pictures of women, some of whom are topless. It’s almost like living in Europe, where topless women can be found on magazine covers and advertisements.

The big deal with this app, of course, is that it’s the first iPhone app to include nudity. But should it be a big deal? As of iPhone OS 3.0, there’s built-in parental controls, meaning that Mommy and Daddy can prevent Junior from seeing naughty images. (Better not take Junior to a museum, either. Lots of paintings of naked people there, too.) And if Junior finds a way around the iPhone’s parental controls, well, then your best bet is probably to have a talk with him. You know, be a parent.

On the other hand, if apps like “Hottest Girls” can get the Apple seal of approval, why can’t something like Quick Shot? What brings more value to the iPhone: a glorified replacement for Google Image Search, or /S/ on 4chan (both easily accessible on Safari for iPhone), or an app that brings more functionality to the device’s camera? I absolutely understand how certain developers will be none too pleased to hear that “Hottest Girls” was approved.

In conclusion, expect any of the following topics to be debated on the Internet: should nudity ever be allowed on the iPhone?; what is porn, really: a topless woman posing on a beach, or something “more”?; why does Apple approve this but not other apps?; do the new parental controls preclude Apple from making “moral” decisions?

And then the Europeans will laugh at us Americans, again, for our inability to handle the female breast. (But we just beat them in soccer, so it all evens out!)

UPDATE Looks like Apple just pulled the app. Make of that what you will.